A personal device charging pad, cordless headphones, a wireless television … the list goes on. People rely on these things as they become increasingly mobile. But does a wireless world mean that we, as electrical contractors...
Power over Ethernet may finally be coming of age. This alternative way of delivering power using computer networking technology now accommodates 90 watts (W)/57 volts (V) to readily power lighting and lighting systems...
The internet of things (IoT) offers electrical contractors powerful revenue-generating service opportunities and new challenges, according to a 2019 report published by ELECTRI International. “Smart Buildings and Internet of...
Electrical contractors (ECs) know their clients have an increasing desire for buildings that are more energy efficient. For ECs looking to get into energy efficiency, there are several good places to begin. 1. Install copper...
The city known for its gambling, neon lights and shotgun weddings has embarked on a mission to gather something more than just dirty little secrets. With a new internet of things (IoT) project, Las Vegas will have a lot of...
Not long ago, smart lighting was outside the realm of typical commercial projects. Driven by energy-efficiency, integration and interoperability demands, smart lighting has moved past hype and become practical. Electrical...
“The internet of things (IoT) means different things to different people,” said Bernie Shaeffer, partner at Wm. A.J. Shaeffer’s Sons Inc., King of Prussia, Pa. “In the residential world, it is thermostats, appliances and...
While many cities talk about smart streetlights or engage in small pilot projects to attach one or two devices to several of their streetlights, San Diego, Calif., isn't waiting around. As a result, many are now calling it...
What goes on inside will greatly shape what happens on the outside. More specifically, the inside of electrical and mechanical equipment, components and other materials will continue to shape their outside performance, aided...
During 2018, electrical contractors saw various technologies start to have a larger role in the electrical construction industry. In 2019, they'll see many of these innovations have an even more prominent role and encounter...
The internet unlocked trillions of dollars in market value by connecting more than 10 billion computing devices for commerce, services and information. The internet of things (IoT) holds enormous promise to unlock new value...
Smart technology isn’t only about thermostats and meters. The ability of digital interfaces to increase energy efficiency in the most mundane ways has now reached the unlikely realm of public trash receptacles. In September...
In 2017, three employees were unloading and staging structural metal beams with a boom truck crane. The truck-mounted crane was moving the beams from an open-top container when the boom truck cable touched a high-power line...
Smart buildings can now be built even easier with the introduction of a common standard for internet of things (IoT)-enabled lighting fixtures. The IoT-Ready Alliance, a San Ramon, Calif.-based group of lighting, building...
The internet of things (IoT) is becoming common parlance in technology circles. For buildings and building systems, the IoT is gaining momentum as data is collected from numerous points and fed into large repositories where...
The internet of things (IoT) is one of the most significant breakthroughs of the 21st century. Focusing on increased connectivity, streamlined communications and mobile hardware—which includes automated factory robots and...
On February 15, at 2 p.m., ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR and Belden partnered to present a free webinar, "Connecting the Digital Building." The recording is now available below. It's recommended for electrical and low voltage...
Today’s progressive electrical contracting business is really all about delivering proactive services that keep customers' systems up and running reliably. Servicing the customer throughout the year instead of a once-and-done...
At the 2017 Strategies in Light conference, Dan Ryan of Acuity Brands Lighting examined lighting disruption posed by LED technology and the internet of things (IoT). He said a good starting point to predicting what will...
After 15 years of rural living on a small farm in Southern California, my wife and I recently moved back into the city. Now, as we walk around our neighborhood, we are often reminded that we live in one of the smartest “smart...
